Geoege kbameb



(No Model.)

G. KRAMER.

GAR GOUPLING.

' PatentedPeb. 22, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE KRAMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OB ONE-FIFTH TO G. CHARLES WIELAND, OF SAME PLAGE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPBCIPICA'I'ION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 358,280, datePebruary 22, 1887,

Applicalion filed November 16,18E6. Serial N0. 219,050. (N0 model.)

T0 all whom z't may concern:

Be it known thab I, GEORGE KRAMER, a subjecl; 0f he Emperor 0f Germany,residing at; Chicago, in the county 0f Cool; und State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and- 1ist 0f killed. am]. wounded, es statistiesshow,

reached in Ehe Unibed Stabes ancl Territories, in the Single year of1885, the appalling number of fifteen thousancl.

I a0complish my object by meznis of a simple and effeetive eouplingdevi'ce, which is operated Wibh eas e and rapidity frorn the side 0r topof the car, and thus avoids the necessity 011 the pa1b of the employe ofgoing between cars; and my device also ineludes, as an indispensab1eadjunct 130 its effeetiveness, a peeuliar 0011- struetion 0fcouplinglink. Y

In the drawinfgs, Figure 1 shows a freightcar minus t;he rollinggear, inend elevation, and provided with my improveinent. Fig. 2 is a brokenview in side elevabion, partly sectional, showing the draw-bar to beprovicled With Ehe usual spring. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view0f ehe form 0f conpling-link for use With my improved conpling device;and Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, similar views showing details.

A is tl1e draw-bar,of any of the usual forms es 130 ibs exterior,buthaving an opening, a, of a shape o0 accommoclate alle peculiareouplinglink, B, hereinalter describecl, and forming part; 0f myinvention.

'Ihe draw-bar of my improvecl deviee is provided upon its upper side,where ib projects beyoncl Ehe car, with two vertieal posts, q q, formingguicles for a metal plate, O, perforatecl near opposite ends t0 receivethe posts, end als 0r nean il1s center to admib the coupling-pin Dthrough ib into alle opening eommonly provided to receive it in thedraw-head, the pin being, however,seoured in the plate O,whereby raisingthe former likewise raises the laoter, and shoulders q on the posts qafford stops t0 the plate to prevenb raising the latter Sufficienblyhigh 130 effect he wibhdraWal 0f bhe pin from it-s opening inthe-draw-bar.

Eis a spool 0r hollow cylinder snpported so be oseillated 011 a shaft,F, projeeting horizontally from the end 0f the car near the right side0f the san1e, and within easy reach from the ground, and provided With ahead, E, 130 confine the spool E upon it-s supporb. 'lhe spool E has 0nits innen end a tongue forming a stop, p, and a similar stop, p, in 'uheform 0f a shoulder, is providecl 011 the shafl: or bearing F to opposethe spool E and thus lin1it its 0seillabions in either direcbion.

A lever, G, is eecured ab one end t0 the spool E, ab a point 130 causein t0 stand ab an acute angle t0 Ehe aclj acent corner ofthe Gar, asshpwn in Fig. l, when the stops 19 andpare brought into contact witheach o1sher to lower the pin D, as and for the purpose hereinafterdescribed, and the free end of the lever G is weighted, as shown ab o,Fig. 1, the weight having a forn1, by preference, whieh permits ib t0 bec0nvenienbly grasped in the hollow 0f the band. The lever G is eonnectedWith the pin D by n1eans of a suitable flexible connecbing medinm,preferably in the forxn 0f a chain, H, Which passes over a-roller, I,extending horizontally from the end of the car, and situated between Ehepin D andlever G. Arod 01 bar, K, is loosely cenneeted als one end by ahook, as shown, o1 otherWise, wibh the pin D, extends upward andbaekward beyond the top of the car through a sbaple, K, secured inproper position upon the end of the car, and is provided ab its upperend with a suitable handle, n. T'ne r0d K has an aperbure, m, where itsis supp0rted 0n a pin, m, (shown in dotbed lines,) when raised t-0 lifbohe pin in uneoupling the ear from Ehe top.

The coupling-link B musb be, for my purpose, substantially of the formshownthab is i t0 say, ib mnst not; bang, when in posibion in draw-barsooket of auotl1er oar, to render tl1e introduetion into tl1o latter ofthe link automatio, sinco, if tl1is operation were not thus automatio,tl1e manipulation ol' the couplingpin from tl1e sido of tl1o ear, asl1ereinafter described, would be purposeless, tl1e 111ai11 object of theinvention being, as alroady stated, to avoid tl1e necessity 011 tl1epart of employs of going between cars. Tl1e shape of tl1e link B 1'selliptic longitudinally, in order to seoure a close fit in tl1e draw-barsocket 1' and produco tl1e normally horizontal position of the linkl1ereinbefore desoribed; and lt comprises, as par'ts, tl1e bars Z and Zon tl1e upper sicle, Z and l on the under side, and heads k and k,respectively, at t-l1e opposite ends, affording the verticallongitudinal opening 1' and tl1e lateral longitudinal opening 71througl1 the link to per1nit tl1e necessary play wl1e11 tl1ecomplingpins D in t-l1e draw-bars 011 the atljacent ends of two cars areinserted througl1 lt, and tl1e construction also makes tl1e articleyielrl ing 01 con1pressible to per1nit its ready insertion into tl1edraw-bars and produoe tl1e (legree of rigidity of 1'ts position torender 1't normally horizontal.

Tl1e lateral opening h forn1s a desirable feature in tl1e link, by wayof Provitlence, to permit tl1e more important purposo of 1ny inventionnamely of providing for tl1e coupling and uncoupllng ol cars withoutrequiring employ6s to go between tl1e1nto beaccon1plished in case a earprovided witl1 coupling mechanism in accordanco with n1y inventionsl1allrequire to be conpled to another having the old common forn1 ol'coupling, oomprising an oval or substantially oval link and pin. T0allow tl1e application, however, the drawbarin such old forn 1 ofcoupling 1nust be provided with a lateral opening to ad mit tl1ecoupling-pin l10111 the side.

\Vith tl1e foregoing desoription of tl1e parls of my in1proven1ent, tl1emanner of operating the latter will be readily m1derstood fro1n tl1ofollowing: T0 withclraw a eoupling-pin, D, in uneoupling, tl1e weightedlover G is turned down, thereby lifting the pin out of ooincidenoe withtl1e link,wl1ere it is maintainod by the weigl1t 0 and tl1e effeet ofits leverage; or tl1e uncoupling 1nay beperfor1ned fro1n the top of thecar by moans oftl1e rod 01 bar K-when of course, tl1e lover dovice isnot affectedwhich is sustained by l1oolxing 1't upon tl1e pin m at itsoponing m, provided at a point 001'- responrling relativoly to tl1enormal position of the bar 01 rod K with tl1e heigl1t to wl1icl1 tl1epin must be raised to free the link. 'lo send tl1e pin hon1e in tl1ooperation of compling, if perfor1nedfro111tl1e top 01" a car, the rod o1bar K 1's roleased fro1n its Support by tl1e pin m, when its own1veigl1t, together witl1 that 01 tl1e rod itself and the plate C- whieh,as hereinbefore stated, moves witl1 tl1e pinforce 1'.t into tl1edesirecl position; or, if perforn1od fron1 tl1e side of tl1e car, thepin seeks its position of coupling upon releasing 1't from tl1e effectof the weighted lever G by turning it to tl1e position sl1own in Fig. 1,in which tl1e stops p and p permit it t'o incline sufficientl y tore1nain unallected, 01 practically so, byany jarring o1 lonmpinginiluenco to wl1ich 1't likely to be suhjeeted.

lt will tl1us be seen tl1at my improvement is not only offective in itsmain purpose, above stated, but that by n1eans of tl1e sa1ne theoporations of conpling a11 1 uncoupling 1nay be oasily, rapidly, andacouratoly performed.

'\Vl1at I clai1n as new, a1nl desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. 'Ihe co1nbination, Witl1 a ear having a (l1aw-bar, A, of acar-couplinghavinga guided pin, D, and an oscillatory weighted lever, G,supported on the ear,near one side of tl1e san1e, and connected witl1tl1e pin, substantially as and for the purpose set fo1th.

2. The con1bination, witl1 a Gar l1aving a draw-bar, A, of acar-coupling having a pin, D, a 1)lilt, O, to which the pin is seoured,guicles q 011 tl1e draw-bar for the plate O, and an oscillatorywoigl1ted lever, G, supported 011 the car, near one side of thesan1e,and cou- 11octed with tl1e pin, substantially as an(l for the purposeset forth.

3. The con1bination, witl1 a car having a draw-bar, A,of a car-couplingl1aving a guided pin, D, an osoillatory weighted lever, G, supported 011the car, nea1 one side of tl1e sarno, and conneote l witll tl1e pin,an(l a ro l o1 bar, K, connected near ono en l witl1 tl1e pin andextonding therefrom near tho t0p of the car, a staple, K, lor tl1e rodor bar K, an(l n1eans, suhstantially as tlescribed, for sustaining the1od or bar K wl1en raise(l to withdraw the pin, substantially as antlfor tl1e purpose set forth.

4-. A coupling4ink, B, of elliptic form, substantially as an(l for tl1epurpose Set fortl1.

5. A coupling-link, 3, hollow and provi led witl1 openings z' anCl h andof elliptic form, substantially as and for tl1e purpose set fo1th.

6. A coupling-link, B, co1nprising bars l, Z, l, and Z and l1oarls kan(l In, snbstantially as and for tl1e purpose set fortl1.

7. Tl1e combination, with a car having a draw-bar, A, ota ca1=c0plinghaving a pin, D, a plate, O, to which tl1e pin is secured, a guide onthe draw-bar for the plate C, an 0soillatory weigl1ted lever, G,supported on the car, near 0110 side of the san1e, and connected withthepin, a11d a con1pressible coupling-link, B, substantially as ancl101' tl1e purposeset fortl1.

8. Tl1e oombination, with a oar l1aving a draw-bar, A, of a car-couplinghavinga pin, D, a plate, C, to wl1icl1 tl1e pin is secured, a guide ontl1e draw-bar for tl1e plate O, an oscillatory weighterl lever, G,snpportecl on the ca1, near one side of tl1e same, and connected witl1the pin, a ro l 01 bar, K, conneoted near one end Witl1 the pin andoxtending therefrom nc ar tl1e top of the car, a staple, K, for the 10d01 bar K, n1eans, substantiallyas doscribed, for sustaining tl1e rod 01bar K wl1en raised 130 withclraw tl1e pin,and a compressible 0011 pling-IOO IIO

link, B, of elliptie f01m and provided Wibh openings 11 and h,substantially as und f0r the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, With a carhaving a; 5 draw-bar, A, 0f a ear-couplingcomprising a 1ink, B, formed 0f bars l, l, Z", and Z an(1 heads k and k,a pin, D, a plate, G, t0 which the pin is securedguides q on thedraw-bar f0r the plate O and having shoulders q, a bear- 1o ing, I, onthe car, a s haft-, F, having a stop, p, and head E, and extending fromthe car, near one side 0f the same, a spoo1, E, 0n the shaft; F, havinga stop', p, a 1ever, G, seeured to the spooland provided With a weight,

o, a chain connecting the 1ever device with the pin und passingbver thebearing I, a rod 01 bar, K, connected near one end with th e pin andextending therefrom near the top of the car, a staple, K, 011 the carforthe rod 01 bar K, and means, substantially zus described, for sustaining'uhe rod 01 bar K when raised 130 withdraw the pin, substantially as 2mdfor Ehe purpose sei; forth.

GEORGE KRAMER.

In presence 01- G. CHARLES WIELAND J. W. DYRENFORTH.

